Football

Kansas’ Prinz Kande to miss season

Kansas linebacker Prinz Kande, right, laughs with fellow linebacker Steven Johnson during football practice on Monday, April 18, 2011 at the practice fields near Memorial Stadium.

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The Journal-World has learned that Kansas University junior linebacker Prinz Kande, who made the first start of his career during Saturday’s one-point loss to Rice, injured the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his right knee during the game.

Kande, who finished with three tackles and a sack, had to be helped off the field and did not return. The junior from Euless, Texas, likely will miss the remainder of the 2012 season but may be eligible for a medical red-shirt, which, if granted, would give him two years of eligibility remaining.

KU coach Charlie Weis said Sunday night that Kande’s injury was the only one the Jayhawks suffered against Rice that appeared to be serious.

Weis said seniors Kale Pick and Lubbock Smith, who also had to be helped off the field last weekend, would have a chance to play this weekend, when the Jayhawks open Big 12 play at home against league newcomer TCU.

Weis remembers 9/11

With today marking the 11th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that shook the nation and brought tragedy to New York City, people all across the country figure to spend at least part of the day remembering the victims and reliving their experiences.

Weis had a unique perspective of the attacks, and Monday night during his weekly “Hawk Talk” radio show on KLWN he shared what the early moments of Sept. 11, 2001, were like for him.

“First of all, I’m from New Jersey, and I lost a whole bunch of friends that day,” Weis recalled. “Not a few. A whole bunch.”

At the time of the attacks, Weis was working with the New England Patriots and was back in Boston preparing for that week’s game against the Carolina Panthers. As he walked down the hall to an early-morning meeting, the phone in his office rang. On the other end was his wife, Maura, who asked if he had seen what happened.

“She said, ‘Turn on the TV,’” Weis said, “And I said, ‘What channel?’ She said, ‘Any channel.’ We proceeded, about 10 of us, to stand in my office in amazement for the next two hours watching all that stuff.”

While people around him tried to digest what had happened, one of Weis’ players, offensive guard Joe Andruzzi, feared for the lives of his three brothers, all of whom were New York City firefighters and responded to the site of the attacks.

“He was just a mess the entire day,” Weis said. “He didn’t find out until later that day that they were all alive. But all three of his brothers ended up getting out of there.”

Blame game

Shortly after last Saturday’s stumble against Rice, Weis said he deserved a chunk of the blame. Monday morning, while recapping the game on the Big 12 coaches’ weekly teleconference, Weis explained why.

“You can’t just count on these guys to figure it out on their own,” he said of learning how to finish victories after years of losing. “That’s one of the responsibilities of the coaching staff. We gotta help the guys through that.”

Although Weis is best known for his success as an NFL assistant, he has done his share of rebuilding. Each time, he’s seen the coaching staff take the lead on changing the culture.

“At all of the places I’ve been that were sort of reclamation projects, sooner or later something has clicked where (the players) start to figure it out,” Weis said. “Unfortunately, it didn’t happen this week. The bottom line is, to truly turn the corner, we’re gonna have to guide ’em through that.”

Rice kicker honored

Rice place kicker Chris Boswell, who made all four field goals he attempted last week against Kansas, including the game winner, was honored as one of the “Stars of the Week” by the folks who hand out the Lou Groza Award, given annually to the nation’s top kicker. Boswell’s four makes pulled the junior from Keller, Texas, into a tie for the school’s career record of 33.

KU-NIU kickoff set

Kickoff for KU’s Week 4 game at Northern Illinois on Sept. 22 has been set for 2:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3.

KU’s final nonconference game of the season will mark the third-straight national broadcast for the Jayhawks, who lost to Rice last weekend on Fox Sports Net and will welcome Big 12 foe TCU to Memorial Stadium at 11 a.m. Saturday for a game that will be shown on FX.

AtlJay - I agree with you most of the time ( in my head anyway! ) - but, I'm not sure this offense is all that complicated. Mostly what it requires of a QB is to be able to hit an open target or run the ball when you have 6 seconds of blocking and have NOT hit an open target.

I don't know who's on the bench that would do any better, but I remember about 6 years ago, we had what we thought was a very good QB in Kerry Meier, but he just couldn't get the offense moving. He was replaced with an unknown midget who kind of re-kindled the fire for KU football for the next 4 years.

That kind of guy may be on the bench right now, but we won't know if Crist stays in there. I was as enthused about Crist as anyone before the season, but, other than his very first play from scrimmage I've been pretty underwhelmed. If Crist remains ineffective for another game or two, something needs to be done.

Yeah, I really think we're in agreement. I don't know how complicated the offense is - maybe they're just making it LOOK more complicated by not being effective !

Whatever the problem is, I hope they figure it out soon. I know I sound kind of sour sometimes, but I really love KU - football and basketball. It's just that it's so dang hard to keep my attitude good during football sometimes. I know this isn't Ohio State, USC, LSU or any of those kinds of teams where all the pieces are already in place and basically any coach with a head on his shoulders can step in and be successful - but I wish that it were!!

I guess for now we'll have to be happy with whatever success we do see and whatever improvements are made.

Cummings would run it and keep the defense honest. Right now TCU is licking their chops because Crist simply won't run, and they know it. They can bring a full pass rush and still have more focused coverage in the secondary.

I keep thinking of what Matthews was doing to MU when he came in last year. Webb and the offense were so predictable, but when Matthews starting running we looked almost unstoppable. I would settle for Cummings running a read-option right now. I think he would be great at that.

The point is that TG was in waaaay over his head. His hiring was like taking a worker off the assembly line and telling him to run Ford Motor Company (or some other big company). The guy off the line might have some talent and might eventually become competent or even excel at the CEO job, but it's going to take years and there is no guarantee that he'll ever "get it."

Is Turner Gill still coaching KU? No, which means unless Liberty shows up on KU's schedule in the future, or anyone else he coaches in the future, then I really couldn't care less what his record is. His 2 years here were on par with the late 80's KU teams for futility, but he's gone now and it's time to look forward to the future instead of dwelling on the past like so many people here (sounds like you as well) are still doing.

I take issue with the last part of your statement. It is inaccurate and untrue.
Arist Wright never complained to anyone about being poked in the chest EVER. There were many complaints and accusations made by players as well as parents of players that led up to this investigation. Arist only acknowledged that this happened AFTER Assistant AD Chris Howard asked him about it. Someone else had made that claim amongst many others. It was Chis Howard's job to go around and confirm the incidents, and he did. Again, Arist never complained to anyone.

The first one I remember hearing about was Mangino telling a player that he would send him home to St. Louis to get shot like his brother. I don't remember which player that was, but I believe that was the incident that triggered the investigation.

"The Bastard" listed an article above that said the local paper confirmed the investigation began after Arist Wright complained in the days before the Colorado game. Why would you say "I'm sure you can find a timeline of events in an article about Mangino being fired"?

I suppose you better take your illconceived case to the Lawrence Journal World because the person you replied to was citing their article that said they "confirmed the investigation began after Arist Wright complained that Mangino poked him in the chest in the days before KU took on Colorado".

I really feel for you Prinz. I know from experience that this really stinks, especially with all the hard work you've put in, but you will live to play another day. I don't necessarily mean to compare my situation to yours, but in my case, the year of maturity REALLY benefited my game. I sure didn't feel that way early on, but the next few years of playing definitely proved that it was a blessing in disguise.Keep you chin up, and good luck.